There is no mistaking it: “The holidays,” as we euphemistically refer to them, are here.

People are decorating, attending parties, and based on parking availability at the mall, doing a lot of shopping too! Hanukkah is already under way and Christmas and New Year’s Day are on the near horizon. Despite all the festivities at this exciting time of year we are still vulnerable to wintertime stress and depression.

For some people, the excitement of the holidays can be overshadowed by the shorter, darker days and the stress of too many obligations and demands. The cheer of the holidays can make it feel even worse because of the emotional contrast between happy and sad. That is why it is important to recognize the symptoms of the wintertime blues and to take action in order to prevent them from worsening into depression.

Winter can be a tough season for many people all on its own. Historically, it has been associated with death, deprivation and struggle because food, shelter and life-giving warmth were difficult to find during the colder months. In our country’s beginning, the colonists lost many people during the wintertime, and there is even evidence that in Jamestown they had to resort to cannibalism to survive the harsh winter.

Even today, despite our many modern conveniences and electric lights, many of us still go into “hibernation mode” or even worse, withdraw from normal life activities during the colder and darker days of winter. This seasonal pattern of lowered activity and mood during the winter has been conceptualized as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

Symptoms of SAD are similar to those of mammalian hibernation and include low energy, sleeping more than usual, carbohydrate cravings, weight gain, and withdrawal from normal activities. It is associated with difficulty concentrating, feeling “fuzzy” and sometimes feeling irritable, low, or even sad. Some people will even describe that they don’t feel motivated and that their body actually feels heavier and harder to move.

This lowering of mood and loss of energy during wintertime is believed to be the result of both biological and psychological forces. This is largely related to the hormone melatonin, which is released with sun exposure and helps to regulate our internal clock. Our internal clock regulates our sleep-wake cycle and influences other things like our pupil dilation, heart rate, blood pressure, energy level and overall level of alertness.

Regardless of what causes it, there are strategies for defeating the winter blahs. One of the most important strategies is to remain active and to try to keep doing what you do. Even though it is colder or darker out, it is important to still go out for your daily walk, take a trip to the dog park, go out to the store and engage in activities like you do in more seasonable months. After all, that is why we invented coats, hats and gloves as well as portable lighting. Just ask people who live in much colder climates than ours.

It is also helpful to make a concerted effort to get more exposure to light in general and preferably to natural sunlight. Even though it is less intense this time of year, there are still benefits to getting sun exposure when it is available. If it is hard to get outdoors there are lights simulating natural sunlight available. Some people have found it helpful to get brighter wattage lights for their home and to leave them on more to create a brighter environment.

With the added stress of the holidays, it is important to keep expectations realistic, and not to become over-committed. Experts in managing holiday stress also recommend not spending money that you don’t have and not exposing yourself to unnecessary stress, which often means learning to say “no.” It is also helpful to approximate your normal schedule and to get adequate rest while avoiding excessive celebrating.

If you notice symptoms of depression proliferating, it can be helpful to consult a counselor familiar with SAD. This can help you to keep things in balance and not only have a great holiday but an enjoyable winter. After all, it can be, “the most wonderful time of the year!”